Akbank Sanat

Akbank Sanat is an art center founded by the Turkish bank Akbank in 1993. The art center is located in Beyoğlu, Istanbul and organizes over 700 events every year.

The Center and Its Events
Akbank Sanat is located in Beyoğlu and consists of 6 floors. The entrance and the first floor host have hosted 150 contemporary art exhibitions to date. The second floor has a conference hall which can host 125 people. The Akbank Short Film Competition, concerts, plays and lectures are regularly hosted in the hall. On the third floor, there is an art workshop for plastic artists. A library and a cafeteria are located on the fourth floor, and the sixth floor is utilised for dance lessons.

Akbank Short Film Festival
Akbank Short Film Festival, is a short film festival organised by Akbank since 2005. The movies which gain a prize from the competition are demonstrated in various cities and universities around Turkey.

Akbank Jazz Festival
Akbank Jazz Festival first took place in 1991 as a series of concerts in Istanbul. The festival is a member of European Jazz Network.

The festival has taken place in locations such as Haghia Irini Museum, Babylon, Cemal Reşit Rey Konser Salonu and Zorlu Center PSM.

The festival has hosted musicians such as:
 * Cecil Taylor
 * Archie Shepp
 * Roberto Fonseca
 * Terje Rypdal
 * Miroslav Vitous
 * Abdullah Ibrahim
 * Aydın Esen
 * Dave Holland
 * John Zorn
 * Cassandra Wilson
 * Joachim Kühn
 * Joe Zawinul
 * Anthony Braxton
 * McCoy Tyner
 * Joe Lovano
 * Courtney Pine
 * Pharoah Sanders
 * Muhal Richard Abrams
 * Roscoe Mitchell
 * Arto Lindsay
 * Richard Bona
 * Max Roach
 * Nguyen Le
 * Dino Saluzzi
 * Jimmy Smith
 * Art Ensemble of Chicago

Contemporary Istanbul
Akbank Sanat is the main sponsor of Contemporary Istanbul Art Fair, which was organized in 2016 for the 11th time.